Persistent virtual identity in community networks: Impact to social capital value chains

Community networks are digital infrastructures designed to strengthen bonds and build social capital between members of a community, facilitating accomplishment of goals. As we consider how community network implementations can be improved, we recognize the potential that social translucence and activity notification introduces to other forms of CSCW. We investigate how the underlying notion of persistent virtual identity---established at logon---impacts user perception of community networks and their social capital production process. To approach this question, we introduce a design model that reconciles various computer-mediated communication research contributions with support for typical community network scenarios of use. Using this model, we perform an inspection on existing community network implementations. Based on the insight gained through this analysis, we introduce a generic prototype that allows survey of user reaction to community network design elements under differing conditions of persistent virtual identity implementation and usage motivation---the results frame a value-chain understanding of conceptual tradeoffs

Proceedings of the Second Annual Virginia Tech Center for Human-Computer Interaction Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Symposium

Virginia Tech's Center for Human-Computer Interaction presents the project abstracts for the REU ’07 symposium. The REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program provides undergraduate students from various universities with the opportunity to spend eight weeks at Virginia Tech, working with our faculty and graduate students on research projects using the state-of-the-art technology and laboratories assembled here. The REU program is sponsored by a National Science Foundation grant IIS-0552732

Communities on-line : community-based computer networks

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1995.Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-170).by Anne Beamish.M.C.P

Technology as an economic catalyst in rural and depressed places in Massachusetts

This paper uses case studies, including two cities (Lynn and New Bedford), a sub-city district (Roxbury) and two towns in rural Franklin County (Greenfield and Orange), to examine the role of technology as a potential economic catalyst in rural and depressed places in Massachusetts. Though the five target areas vary in size, density, geographic area, demographic characteristics and economic resources, each exhibits chronic patterns of economic distress related to the decline of manufacturing, construction and other key industries

Human Issues in Horticulture: A Bibliography

This is a comprehensive bibliography of a rather broad subject area—horticultural therapy. The subject reflects a change in the definition of horticulture as the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables and flowers to include horticulture’s effects on human well-being. The number of citations also reflects the growth and continuing evolvement of this discipline. This bibliography does not include journal articles. It does include monographs, treatises, books, pamphlets, theses, dissertations and media published prior to 2000. The gardening references include a human focus and there are references as well to associated topics such as universal design, accessibility, human perception, environment and behavior.https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1004/thumbnail.jp

THE TEA PARTY VERSUS PLANNING: A STUDY OF TEA PARTY ACTIVISM AND ITS IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLANNING

The Tea Party movement’s effect on local and regional planning in Virginia has received little study. This work identifies how conservative political activism has impacted planning in the Commonwealth and how planners have responded. The study relies on a qualitative approach involving 22 semi-structured interviews with activists, planners, and citizens, as well as textual analyses of planning documents, local and regional news reports, and Tea Party social media. The resultant findings show that Tea Party activism is rooted in deep seated ideals about private property rights and individualism. It also reveals that planning processes that increased the amount of public input had the effect of mitigating the impact of activism. The study concludes by suggesting that strategies based in the communicative style of planning offer an effective way to overcome such opposition while enhancing the many benefits of having significant citizen input in the planning process

September 16, 2010

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia

Development of social capital through place-based virtual groups

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2012."September 2012." Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-161).Over the last decade, as computer-mediated communication (CMC) has become ubiquitous., place-based virtual groups have become increasingly common in the U.S. People are using various CMC tools, such as email lists, message boards, and social network sites, to form these virtual groups in order to connect with their neighbors and learn about their neighborhoods. While our society's relationship with the idea of neighborhood has become more complicated as our conception of community has become more liberated and less rooted in place, many Americans still want - and benefit from - relationships they form with people they live near. This thesis uses social capital as a lens to investigate whether place-based virtual groups may be supporting community and neighbor social networks in neighborhoods. It focuses on four dimensions of social capital in particular: sense of community. neighboring, citizen participation / civic engagement, and collective efficacy. The author looked at four place-based virtual groups-three neighborhood email discussion lists and one neighborhood Facebook Group-in the San Francisco Bay Area. She interviewed members of the virtual groups and reviewed content from the groups' archives, looking for evidence that the groups were supporting the development of social capital for the individuals who participated in them. This thesis analyzes the experiences of individuals in the groups, assesses each group with respect to how it seems to be supporting the development of social capital, and presents lessons for planners interested in increasing social capital or building community in neighborhoods. The author found evidence that each of the four place-based virtual groups did seem to support the development of sense of community, neighboring, and civic engagement, and that they had the potential to support the development of collective efficacy. However, she also found a lot of variation among the different groups., and the results raise interesting questions about what circumstances might be required to bring about place-based virtual groups that strongly encourage all dimensions of social capital.by Maryann Hulsman.M.C.P

Annual Report, 2008-2009

Description based on: 1995-1996; title from captio